by | May 22, 2024

May is Biodiversity Month! 

At OGL, we are deeply committed to studying and preserving marine biodiversity.  

Here’s how we are observing Marine Biodiversity Month:

 Research Support: OGL conducts and supports cutting-edge research to discover new marine species and understand their roles in the ecosystem.

Global Collaboration: OGL partners with marine biodiversity initiatives worldwide, including Ocean Census, the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), and the Global Genome Biodiversity Network. 

Species Discovery:  OGL and collaborators have discovered and described eleven new species not previously known to science!

Introducing Lithoredo abatanica. This bizarre worm-like clam was discovered by OGL researchers and collaborators from the University of the Philippines and the University of Utah in the Abatan River, Philippines! Unlike its wood-eating relatives, this unique bivalve feeds on limestone, carving its home in the rock. This groundbreaking adaptation showcases marine life’s incredible diversity and ingenuity, expanding our understanding of biodiversity and evolution. 

Lithoredo abatanica is one of the only animals known to eat rock! Image source: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.0434 

Highlights at OGL

Congratulations to our recently graduated OGL Co-ops, Lev Becker and Zach Anderson!

RECENT NEWS BRIEFS

OGL’s new species discovery is number one! 

This week, a publication by Ocean Genome Legacy researchers and colleagues announced the discovery of Vadumodiolus teredinicola, a new species of marine mussel.  This discovery includes several exciting firsts!  Left: Vadumodiolus teredinicola in life position within...

Wicked Worms from Under the Sea

Behold the mighty Bobbit worm, striking from the seafloor! Image Credit: Daniel Kwok CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 It’s October again and that means one thing: it’s the time of year for ghosts, goblins, and spooky monsters. Fantastical creatures like these might make the real world...

UN Reaches Historic High Seas Agreement

Last weekend, the United Nations reached an agreement on a landmark treaty aimed to protect life in the high seas! This treaty focuses specifically on resources that are contained in ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction. These areas, which are currently largely...

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